Bone fixation implants are used in a variety of medical situations to support broken bones and promote healing. For example, bone fixation implants may be used to replace missing joints, bones, or portions of bone or to support a damaged bone. In particular, one or more bone fixation implants, which may include or be used in conjunction with pins, rods, screws, wires, and/or plates, may be attached to a bone in the area of the fracture to anchor the bone and/or hold portions of the damaged bone together while it heals.
For example, a person who experiences chest trauma due to an accident (e.g., a vehicle collision) may have rib fractures that require the use of bone fixation implants. Implants may also be used to promote healing after surgical procedures, such as a thoracotomy or sternotomy. During a thoracotomy, for example, ribs may be broken by a surgeon to provide access to organs such as the heart and lungs. In a sternotomy, a longitudinal incision may be made along a midline of a patient's sternum, and the two a resulting portions of the sternum may be forced apart to allow the surgeon to gain access to the patient's thoracic cavity (e.g., during open heart surgery). A surgeon may use bone fixation implants following such procedures to repair the patient's chest cavity.
In still other cases, bone implants may be used to promote the healing of other bones, such as bones in the face or spine. For example, bone fixation implants may be used during facial plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery to support the healing of bones in the proper configuration. Implants may also be used in neurosurgery of the spine to hold spinal bone portions together during healing.
Accordingly, there is a need for bone fixation implants and methods for supporting and promoting healing of fractured or broken bone that are safe, reproducible, simple to administer, and cause the least amount of pain to the patient.